‘She couldn’t stop crying. She looked like a total mess, and she wasn’t going to have anyone see her like that – plus she was scared she’d burst into tears in the middle of, like, French, and people would guess. But mostly it was because she was like, if she saw Chris or any of his mates, she’d die right there of embarrassment. She was all, “I can’t ever go out again, ever, I’m going to have to get my parents to transfer me to a school in London or somewhere . . .” It took me a week to get it through her head that she had to go out and see him, and act like she barely even remembered his name, or he’d know how upset she was, and then he’d think she was pathetic. That’s how guys work. If you care more about them than they do about you, they hate you for it.’

Julia would give more than ever for a chance to punch Chris’s teeth in. Not because he hurt Joanne’s precious feelings, which from Julia’s viewpoint is the only bright spot in this whole vile mess; because all this is happening over such a little piece of shit. Selena ruining everything, the look on Finn’s face in the Field: all because of some fifth-rate wankstain who’s never had a thought in his head beyond want pussy.

She says, ‘So how is this my problem?’

Gemma says, ‘So Selena’s not tough.’

‘Tougher than you think.’

‘Yeah? Tough enough that when Chris pulls the same thing on her, she’ll be totally fine? Which he definitely will. I guarantee you he’s giving her all the same lovey-dovey crap he gave Joanne, and if Jo fell for it, Selena is too. In a couple of weeks she’ll be positive they’re going to get married. And even if she’s shagging him—’

‘She’s not.’

Gemma throws Julia a sceptical one. Julia says, ‘She’s not shagging him. And not because she’s frigid.’

‘Well,’ Gemma says. ‘Even if she is shagging him, and even more if she’s not, sooner or later he’ll get bored. So he’ll vanish off her phone and treat her like she doesn’t exist. How gutted is Selena going to be? Specially once she hears whatever Jo puts around about why she got dumped. Because you know that’s going to be good. You think she’ll get over it in a week? Or do you think she’ll have an actual nervous breakdown?’

Julia doesn’t answer. Gemma says, ‘Selena’s already . . . I mean, not being a bitch, but let’s face it, she doesn’t seem like it’d take much to push her over the edge.’

‘I went through Selena’s phone,’ Julia says. ‘There’s nothing on there from Chris. Nothing that could be from him, even.’